


Happy Birthday

by StormySeaWitch



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Baby Gren, Birthday Fic for Adrian because, Gen, Mid-20s something Amaya, OC, Super Short Fic, We all love Gren, lbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 07:34:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20131693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormySeaWitch/pseuds/StormySeaWitch
Summary: On Gren's first birthday after his parents deaths, he makes a new friend.Alternatively; it's Adrian's birthday and I wanted to write him a fic. Idk.





	Happy Birthday

  


‘This is Gren, he’s going to be here for a little while,’ Commander Teb said quietly. ‘He doesn’t say a whole lot, so don’t be offended if he doesn’t chat to you.’ 

The room was full of soldiers in training; some would join the national army, others would become guards, or maybe even _ Crownguards _, and others would take up positions along the border of Katolis. Maybe some would wind up defending the Breach, since no one was currently looking after it. 

Commander Teb waved his hands around as he spoke, and Gren peeked up at him curiously. 

Teb noticed and gave him a sad smile. ‘I need to use my hands to talk to Amaya, because she’s deaf and she can’t hear me,’ he explained, pointing at one of the soldiers; a young woman with dark hair. She smiled and waved. 

Gren buried his face in Teb’s leg, and the Commander continued his lesson. He didn’t see Amaya’s curious eyes linger for a few moments before she started paying attention again. 

The castle was big, and empty and boring; Gren hated it. Everything was the opposite of his home; the Breach was warm and closed in and a little bit dangerous. 

It was a paradise for any 10 year old. He could race around amongst the soldiers with a wooden sword at his hip and adventure in his heart. 

Until the adventures had turned a little too real, and he’d watched the Sunfire Elves mount an attack on their side. Soldiers he’d played chase with were cut down by Sunforged blades. Others he’d shared meals with lost limbs.

His family was gone. 

He was alone. 

And now he was in the castle, far from the Breach, where the walls were cold instead of warm, and the soldiers didn’t smile at him. The tiny redhead clutched his wooden sword tight; it was the only thing that he’d been able to grab before Commander Teb had picked him up and put him on a horse, both of them bound for the castle. 

He had no idea if others had survived; only that his parents had not. 

‘Gren?’ the commander said quietly one evening. ‘You okay?’

Well that was a ridiculous question. He wanted very much to _ say _how ridiculous Commander Teb was being, but when he opened his mouth the words wouldn’t come. So he just sat quietly. 

‘Would you like some food?’ 

Nod. Shake. Shrug. 

Communication was more than words, and he got by without them. 

Days melted into weeks and the edges of the hole in his heart started to heal over. It still hurt a lot, but he managed through each day at a time. But the words still eluded him. He didn’t mind too much. 

Commander Teb just let the boy follow him around the castle, checking on troops or cleaning weapons. He paid attention most of the time; only because he didn’t know anyone or have anything else to do. 

When his first birthday without his parents rolled around, the wound in his heart felt as fresh as it had the day he’d arrived in Katolis. 

He’d found a stairwell that no one ever used and sat himself down on the cool steps. His freckled face was stained with tears and dirt and a little snot, but he didn’t care. Birthdays were special and meant to be celebrated with _ family _. 

A quiet knock on the stone made him jump, and he looked up to see Amaya a few steps higher than him. She gave him a little smile, and sat down beside him. 

He rested his chin on his knees, determined to ignore the young soldier. She persisted, however, and tapped his shoulder lightly. 

She started the hand signing that she used to communicate; she moved her hands upward on her chest, then touched her middle finger to her chin, and then her chest. 

Gren stared at her blankly. 

She did it again, and gestured for him to copy her. 

Hands moving up over her chest; he copied her. 

Middle finger to chin, then to chest; he copied that too. 

Index finger touching the other index finger, like ticking off a task. 

She pointed to him, and he pointed at her, but she shook her head with a smile. The soldier emphasised pointing at _ him. _

Gren pointed to himself and she clapped. 

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and she offered him a gloved hand. 

Amaya led him back down the stairs to Commander Teb’s office. 

‘Where did you go?’ he asked, his voice laced with concern as he wiped snot from Gren’s face. 

The redhead shrugged. 

‘Amaya wants you to show me what she taught you,’ Teb said after a moment, and Gren noticed that the young soldier was still standing at attention in the doorway. 

He repeated the signs, and Teb beamed at him. ‘Do you know what that means?’ 

Gren shook his head. 

Teb moved his hands up over his chest, and he did it in sync. ‘Happy…’ 

Middle finger to chin, then to chest. ‘Birth… day…’ 

One index finger touching the other. ‘To…’

He pointed at Gren, who pointed to himself. ‘You!’

Gren let out a small giggle, and signed it again in sync with Teb and Amaya, the Commander singing the words out loud. 

‘Happy Birthday… dear…’ The sign for dear was the trace of a heart, over Teb’s heart. ‘Gren…’

Amaya filled in with a new sign; she twisted her thumb and forefinger around her opposite pinkie. 

‘Happy…. Birthday to … you…’ Teb finished. 

Amaya gave the child a tight hug. 

‘Thank you,’ Gren whispered. 

#

‘Gren!’ 

The redhead spun on his heel, his amour clinking. 

‘General Teb,’ he greeted, holding his hand out. Teb took it and shook it firmly. 

‘You’ve been assigned a General,’ Teb said. ‘Specifically requested, actually.’ 

‘Really?’ Gren asked, excitement creeping into his voice. To be _ requested _ as a 20 year old, promoted to Commander so young - it was almost unheard of. ‘It’s not _ you _, is it? That’s cheating.’ 

‘No, not me,’ Teb chuckled. ‘I’ve retired from the Breach. There’s a new General now.’ 

Teb walked a very excited Gren through the halls of the castle. ‘You’re being assigned to the Breach,’ he explained. 

Gren hadn’t been back there since the two of them had fled. 

A familiar face greeted him with a proud smile, her chin lifted and her shoulders squared. 

_ Hi Gren, _ she signed easily. _ I’m poaching you. _

Gren laughed. _ You got promoted! Congratulations! _

_ So did you! _ Amaya grinned. _ When can you leave? _

Gren felt a bolt of excitement race through him, and his hands shook a little as he signed his answer. 

_ Immediately _. 

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Check out my other fics or come yell with me on tumblr, twitter or insta!  
EDIT: I TOTALLY FORGOT TO ADD THAT THE SIGN FOR GREN'S NAME IS 'STRAWBERRY' IN AUSLAN: so I'm not sure what it is in ASL but yeah, names are usually made up specially for the person. Since Amaya uses ASL and not Auslan I figured I was safe using one of our signs :)


End file.
